The Chief Online Learning Officers' Guidebook: A Framework for Strategy and Practice in Higher Education

Honorable Mention for the 2026 Phillip E. Frandson Award for Literature, UPCEA & Frandson Award Committee

The Chief Online Learning Officers’ Guidebook explores the essential competencies required of Chief Online Learning Officers (COLOs) using insights from real-world leadership and expert perspectives from higher education. Digital and online learning have become strategic priorities for higher education institutions working toward enrollment growth, learner engagement, revenue generation, brand diversification, and enhanced student flexibility following the initial COVID-19 lockdown. This book’s unique framework substantiates and demonstrates key competencies that define the COLO role and enable advancements in the practice of online and digital higher education. Featuring over 50 contributions from COLOs, Chief Information Officers (CIOs), university presidents, and other higher education leaders, this UPCEA-endorsed guide offers practical strategies and comprehensive guidance for both current and aspiring COLOs.

Jocelyn Widmer, Ph.D., serves as the Dean for Weapons Learning Transformation at Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA. She has worked in digital and online education for more than 15 years in various faculty and leadership roles within academic colleges and as the Chief Online Learning Officer of Texas A&M University. Prior to her role at TAMU, Widmer held joint faculty appointments in the Colleges of Architecture and Public Health at both the University of Florida and Virginia Tech where she developed, administered, and taught in online and face-to-face undergraduate and graduate programs, including leading the first and only professionally accredited online master’s of urban and regional planning (University of Florida) through the accreditation process.

Thomas B. Cavanagh, Ph.D., is the Vice Provost for Digital Learning at the University of Central Florida (UCF), USA. In this role, he oversees the distance learning strategy, policies, and practices of one of the nation’s largest universities. Prior to UCF, he led online course design and production for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has a long career in corporate e-learning and film/television. He has been recognized with a number of leading industry awards, including the Richard Jonsen Award (WCET’s highest career recognition), USDLA’s Leadership Award, and the 1EdTech Community Leadership Award. He has also been named a Fellow of the Online Learning Consortium.